Self-winding watches have been available for many years and are known to have mechanisms for keeping the watch wound while it is being worn by a user. The automatic winding mechanism of a self-winding watch typically includes a rotary pendulum or similar mechanism that is connected through gears to the mainspring which drives the watch. When the watch is worn, the random movements of the wearer cause the pendulum to oscillate back and forth, or to spin completely about its axis, thereby winding the mainspring of the watch movement. When completely wound, the mainspring will generally have sufficient energy to run to the watch for up to 12 to 48 hours, depending on the particular type of watch.
However, it will be appreciated that when the watch is not being worn for a sufficiently long period of time, the energy in the mainspring will tend to run down or completely dissipate. Once the spring is unwound, a self-winding watch generally cannot be fully rewound in a few seconds. The task of rewinding a self-winding watch can be a major inconvenience, as it may include resetting the time, dates and numerous other functions, or “complications,” each time the spring runs down. The task becomes even more cumbersome when multiple watches are involved.
Various automatic watchwinders for keeping self-winding watches wound when not in use are currently available. A typical watchwinder, or so-called watch rotator, includes a motor-driven spindle, drum or other structure adapted to hold and rotate a watch about an axis. During rotation about an axis perpendicular to the watch face, for example, the pendulum of the watch will hang downwardly under gravity, and the watch will rotate about the stationary pendulum, causing the mainspring to stay wound.
Advanced watchwinders generally include some form of programmable microprocessor and electronic circuitry for controlling the drive motor. These units typically have user controls which interact with the circuitry and allow the user to select and control a number of operational parameters, such as rotation time, number of rotations, delay time between the start of rotation or between rotation cycles, and rotation direction. Some also have a display which indicates the particular program parameters currently selected by the user.
Existing watchwinders generally are available in single rotator or multiple rotator form. Single rotator watchwinders generally include a single watch rotating mechanism permanently mounted within a housing. While compact, unobtrusive and easy to move and store, these single rotator watchwinders are limited to use with one watch at a time.
Multiple rotator watchwinders, on the other hand, generally include a plurality of watch-winding mechanisms permanently mounted within a common housing. While capable of storing and winding multiple watches simultaneously, these watch-winding mechanisms are in a permanently fixed and immoveable relationship to one another within the housing. The end user lacks flexibility to change the pre-arranged configuration of rotators within the housing or to selectively remove one or more rotators from the housing for independent use. Moreover, the additional size and weight of these multiple rotator watchwinders makes them more difficult to move or store.
For private collectors with small and stable collections of watches, these multi-rotator watchwinders are often satisfactory because they allow the collector to purchase a single unit for storing all his watches in one convenient location and for keeping those watches in a constantly wound and functional condition over an extended period of time. However, these systems are not convenient for the collector or user who has an ever-growing collection of watches (and thus constantly finds himself with a shortage of rotator capacity). They also are not convenient for the collector or user who has a need for both a single rotator watchwinder and a multiple rotator watchwinder or multiple rotator watchwinders of different size or capacity at different times. For example, these systems are not convenient for the collector or user who travels frequently for extended periods of time and wishes to bring several different watches along on the trip. If these watches are removed from the large in-home multiple rotator for any length of time, there is a risk that the mainsprings will run down while the owner is on the road, making the watches unusable until they are reset and rewound. The rotator itself is usually too large or cumbersome to pack for the trip, and even if it could be taken along, the user must choose whether to bring all his watches along with the rotator, or to leave some at home without a rotator, again running the risk of having them wind down during his absence. Travel-sized single rotator watchwinders are available, but that, of course, necessitates the purchase and maintenance of additional units, and the inconvenience of juggling and keeping track of multiple separate watchwinders on the road.
The existing multi-rotator watchwinders also are not convenient for vendors in the retail trade. A retailer who wishes to sell watchwinders to his customers currently is required to stock both single rotator watchwinders and multiple rotator watchwinders of different size and capacity in inventory to satisfy customers with different needs and tastes. The resulting inventory costs and storage space requirements can become considerable, and the retailer always is at risk of having unsold inventory in stock for long periods of time if he has misjudged consumer demands in his particular market. It would be desirable for retailers to be able to stock one design that could be used to satisfy customers looking for watchwinders with a capacity of one through a large number.
Thus, a need exists in both the home and in the retail trade for an improved watchwinder system which is capable of use as either a single rotator watchwinder or a multiple rotator watchwinder combining features and advantages of both, which in addition may be easily reconfigured by the user to vary the size or shape. of the configuration or the number of rotators used, and that may permit one or more of the rotators to be selectively removed from the unit for travel or other reasons. The present invention fulfills these and other needs.